Microprocessor Design Nattha Jindapetch December 2008

Agenda Introduction Types of Microprocessors Instruction Set Design Software tools FPGA microprocessor cores Case studies LABs

Introduction μP on FPGAs? Today’s FPGAs will not be able to implement such a top-of-the-range μP (Intel) with a single FPGA. But there are many applications where a less- powerful μP can be quite helpful. In software, or when designed as an FSM, an algorithm like an FFT may ran slower, but usually needs much less resources. So the μP we build with FPGAs are more of the microcontroller type than a fully featured modern Intel. You may argue that this can be done with an FSM.

Introduction μP on FPGAs? The early version of Xilinx PicoBlaze processor = (KCPSM) Ken Chapman programmable state machine

Introduction A complete μP design usually involves several steps, such as the architecture exploration phase, the instruction set design, and the development tools.

Types of Microprocessors Usually microprocessor are classified into three major classes: General-Purpose Microprocessors or CISC RISC Microprocessors PDSPs

General-Purpose Microprocessors Usually based on CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer)

RISC Microprocessors

PDSPs

Instruction Set Design Addressing Modes Data Flow: Zero-, One-, Two- or Three-Address Design Register File and Memory Architecture Operation Support Next Operation Location

Software tools Lexical Analysis Parser Development

FPGA microprocessor cores Hardcore microprocessors Softcore microprocessors

Case studies T-RISC Stack Microprocessors LISA Wavelet Processor Design Nios FFT Design

LABs

Where to read more … Uwe Meyer-Baese, Digital Signal Processing with Field Programmable Gate Arrays, Third Edition, Springer, 2007.